Ensemble drama Babel leads the nominations at next year's Golden Globe Awards, boasting seven nods including Best Dramatic Picture and an acting accolade for star Brad Pitt.
The film, spanning several countries telling four interrelated stories, sees Pitt praised in the Best Actor in a Supporting Role category. He'll battle it out alongside Ben Affleck (Hollywoodland) and Eddie Murphy (Dreamgirls), as well as The Departed co-stars Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg. The mob thriller earned a total of six nominations today.
Babel's Rinko Kikuchi and Adriana Barraza also received supporting acting nods, along with Cate Blanchett for Notes on a Scandal, Emily Blunt for The Devil Wears Prada and Jennifer Hudson for Dreamgirls.
But it's Leonardo DiCaprio who looks most likely to convert an acting nomination into a trophy after being named twice in the Best Actor category.
His performances in The Departed and Blood Diamond are up against Peter O'Toole's in Venus, Will Smith's in The Pursuit of Happyness and Forest Whitaker's portrayal of former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland.
Actor-turned-director Clint Eastwood is another star with a double reason to celebrate--Flags of Our Fathers competes against his other war film Letters from Iwo Jima in the Best Director category.
Meanwhile, Helen Mirren stands to win three awards at the star-studded Hollywood ceremony next month. Her role as monarch-in-crisis Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen pits her against another veteran British actress, Judi Dench, for Notes on a Scandal. Penelope Cruz is also a strong contender for Best Actress in Volver, as well Maggie Gyllenhaal (Sherrybaby) and Kate Winslet in the suburban drama Little Children.
Mirren's other nods are for small-screen work--her roles in Prime Suspect: The Final Act and period piece Elizabeth I could see her pick up a Best Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television.
Both films will compete for Best TV Mini-Series alongside the star-studded adaptation of Charles Dickens' complicated crime masterpiece Bleak House, Broken Trail and Mrs. Harris.
There were no surprises in the most popular TV categories with 24, Big Love, Lost, Heroes, and hospital drama Grey's Anatomy all in with a chance to win the Best Drama Prize, and Desperate Housewives, Entourage, The Office, Ugly Betty and Weeds battling it out for the Best Comedy or Musical.
Last month it was revealed Hollywood legend Warren Beatty is to be honored with the 64th Cecil B. DeMille Award for Lifetime Achievement at the 2007 Golden Globe Awards. It will be Beatty's sixth Globe.
The awards are given out annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, and are a key indicator of which movies will compete for the Academy Awards, the film industry's top honors.
Click "next" for full list of nominations.
COPYRIGHT 2006 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All Global Rights Reserved.
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Babel
Anonymous Content Production/Una Producción De ZetaFilm/Central Film Production; ParamountPictures/Paramount Vantage
Bobby
Bold Films; The Weinstein Company
The Departed
Warner Bros. Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures
Little Children
New Line Cinema; New Line Cinema
The Queen
A GranadaProduction; Miramax Films
Best Performance By An Actress In A Motion Picture – Drama
Penélope Cruz
Volver
Judi Dench
Notes On A Scandal
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Sherrybaby
Helen Mirren
The Queen
Kate Winslet
Little Children
Best Performance By An Actor In A Motion Picture – Drama
Leonardo Dicaprio
Blood Diamond
Leonardo Dicaprio
The Departed
Peter O’toole
Venus
Will Smith
The Pursuit Of Happyness
Forest Whitaker
The Last King Of Scotland
Best Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical
Borat: Cultural Learnings Of AmericaFor Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan
One America;Twentieth Century Fox
The Devil Wears Prada
Twentieth Century Fox; Twentieth Century Fox
Dreamgirls
Dreamworks Pictures/Paramount Pictures; DreamworksPictures/Paramount Pictures
Little Miss Sunshine
Big Beach/Bonafide Productions; Fox Searchlight Pictures
Thank You For Smoking
Room 9 Entertainment/David O. Sacks Production/ContentFilm; Fox Searchlight Pictures
Best Performance By An Actress In A Motion Picture –Comedy Or Musical
Annette Bening
Running With Scissors
Toni Collette
Little Miss Sunshine
Beyoncé Knowles
Dreamgirls
Meryl Streep
The Devil Wears Prada
Renee Zellweger
Miss Potter
Best Performance By An Actor In A Motion Picture – ComedyOr Musical
Sacha Baron Cohen
Borat: Cultural Learnings Of AmericaFor Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan
Johnny Depp
Pirates Of The Caribbean:Dead Man’s Chest
Aaron Eckhart
Thank You For Smoking
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Kinky Boots
Will Ferrell
Stranger Than Fiction
Best Animated Feature Film
Cars
Walt Disney Pictures/Pixar Animation Studio; Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Happy Feet
Kingdom Pictures, Llc; Warner Bros. Pictures/VillageRoadshow Pictures
Monster House
ColumbiaPictures; Sony Pictures Releasing
Best Foreign Language Film
Apocalypto (USA)
Touchstone Pictures/Icon Productions; Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Letters From Iwo Jima(USA/Japan)
Warner Bros. Pictures/Dreamworks Pictures; Warner Bros.Pictures
The Lives Of Others (Germany)
Wiedemann &amp; Berg Filmproduktion; Sony PicturesClassics
Pan’s Labyrinth (Mexico)
Estudios Picasso/Tequila Gang/Esperanto; Picturehouse
Volver (Spain)
El Deseo; Sony Pictures Classics
Best Performance By An Actress In A Supporting Role In AMotion Picture
Adriana Barraza
Babel
Cate Blanchett
Notes On A Scandal
Emily Blunt
The Devil Wears Prada
Jennifer Hudson
Dreamgirls
Rinko Kikuchi
Babel
Best Performance By An Actor In A Supporting Role In AMotion Picture
Ben Affleck
Hollywoodland
Eddie Murphy
Dreamgirls
Jack Nicholson
The Departed
Brad Pitt
Babel
Mark Wahlberg
The Departed
Best Director – Motion Picture
Clint Eastwood
Flags Of Our Fathers
Clint Eastwood
Letters From Iwo Jima
Stephen Frears
The Queen
Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu
Babel
Martin Scorsese
The Departed
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Guillermo Arriaga
Babel
Todd Field &amp; Tom Perrotta
Little Children
Patrick Marber
Notes On A Scandal
William Monahan
The Departed
Peter Morgan
The Queen
Best Original Score – Motion Picture
Alexandre Desplat
The Painted Veil
Clint Mansell
The Fountain
Gustavo Santaolalla
Babel
Carlo Siliotto
Nomad
Hans Zimmer
The Da Vinci Code
Best Original Song – Motion Picture
“A Father’s Way” — The Pursuit Of Happyness
Music By: Seal And Christopher Bruce
Lyrics By: Seal
“Listen” — Dreamgirls
Music &amp; Lyrics By: Henry Krieger, Anne Preven, ScottCutler And Beyoncé Knowles
“Never Gonna Break My Faith” — Bobby
Music &amp; Lyrics By: Bryan Adams, Eliot Kennedy AndAndrea Remanda
“The Song Of The Heart” — Happy Feet
Music &amp; Lyrics By: Prince Rogers Nelson
“Try Not To Remember” — Home Of The Brave
Music &amp; Lyrics By:Sheryl Crow
Best Television Series – Drama
24 (Fox)
Imagine Television And 20th Century Fox Television I.A.W.Real Time Prods.
Big Love (HBO)
Anima Sola And Playtone Prods. I.A.W. HBO Entertainment
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
Touchstone Television
Heroes (NBC)
Nbc Universal Television Studios I.A.W. Tailwind Prods.
Lost (ABC)
Touchstone Television
Best Performance By An Actress In A Television Series –Drama
Patricia Arquette
Medium
Edie Falco
The Sopranos
Evangeline Lilly
Lost
Ellen Pompeo
Grey’s Anatomy
Kyra Sedgwick
The Closer
Best Performance By An Actor In A Television Series – Drama
Patrick Dempsey
Grey’s Anatomy
Michael C. Hall
Dexter
Hugh Laurie
House
Bill Paxton
Big Love
Kiefer Sutherland
24
Best Television Series – Comedy Or Musical
DesperateHousewives (ABC)
Touchstone Television
Entourage (HBO)
Leverage And Closest To The Hole Prods. I.A.W. HboEntertainment
The Office (NBC)
Deedle Dee Prods. WithReveille I.A.W. Nbc Universal Television Studio
Ugly Betty (ABC)
Touchstone Television
Weeds (Showtime)
Showtime I.A.W. Lionsgate Television And Tilted Prods., Inc.
Best Performance By An Actress In A Television Series –ComedyOr Musical
Marcia Cross
Desperate Housewives
AmericaFerrera
Ugly Betty
Felicity Huffman
Desperate Housewives
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
The New Adventures Of Old Christine
Mary-Louise Parker
Weeds
Best Performance By An Actor In A Television Series – ComedyOr Musical
Alec Baldwin
30 Rock
Zach Braff
Scrubs
Steve Carrell
The Office
Jason Lee
My Name Is Earl
Tony Shalhoub
Monk
Best Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made For Television
Bleak House (PBS)
Bbc And Wgbh BostonProd. I.A.W. Deep Indigo
Broken Trail (AMC)
Butchers Run Films And Once Upon A Time Films I.A.W. SonyPictures Television
Elizabeth I (HBO)
Company Pictures And Channel 4 I.A.W. Hbo Films
Mrs. Harris (HBO)
Killer Films, Number 9 Films And John Wells Prod. I.A.W. HboFilms
Prime Suspect: The Final Act (PBS)
GranadaAnd Wgbh-Boston Prod.
Best Performance By An Actress In A Mini-Series Or MotionPicture Made For Television
Gillian Anderson
Bleak House
Annette Bening
Mrs. Harris
Helen Mirren
Elizabeth I
Helen Mirren
Prime Suspect: The Final Act
Sophie Okonedo
Tsunami, The Aftermath
Best Performance By An Actor In A Mini-Series Or MotionPicture Made For Television
André Braugher
Thief
Robert Duvall
Broken Trail
Michael Ealy
Sleeper Cell: American Terror
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Tsunami, The Aftermath
Ben Kingsley
Mrs. Harris
Bill Nighy
Gideon’s Daughter
Matthew Perry
The Ron Clark Story
Best Performance By An Actress In A Supporting Role In ASeries, Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made For Television
Emily Blunt
Gideon’s Daughter
Toni Collette
Tsunami, The Aftermath
Katherine Heigl
Grey’s Anatomy
Sarah Paulson
Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip
Elizabeth Perkins
Weeds
Best Performance By An Actor In A Supporting Role In ASeries, Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made For Television
Thomas Haden Church
Broken Trail
Jeremy Irons
Elizabeth I
Justin Kirk
Weeds
Masi Oka
Heroes
Jeremy Piven
Entourage

The Simpson blame game: It was acid reflux
Rather than fading away quietly, Ashlee Simpson's lip-synching debacle on Saturday Night Live is gaining momentum, thanks in part to the plethora of excuses the pop sibling's given about her not-so-live performance. First she claimed it was the band's blunder. Then it was NBC's mix-up. Now, Simpson's manager father is blaming the 19-year-old singer's SNL snafu on ... gas? According to Joe Simpson, it was his decision to use the tapes after acid reflux disease had swollen Ashlee's vocal chords and made her voice hoarse. "Just like any artist in America, she has a backing track that she pushes so you don't have to hear her croak through a song on national television. No one wants to hear that," Joe Simpson told Ryan Seacrest Monday on Los Angeles radio station KIIS-FM. He also insisted she's never used the extra help onstage before. "Every artist that I know in this business has had vocal problems at some time--from Celine on down," he added. Simpson had performed her hit single "Pieces of Me" without incident earlier on SNL, but when she came back for her second performance, her band started playing and the first lines of her singing "Pieces of Me" could be heard again. The band plowed ahead with the song while a visibly confused Simpson made some clownish dance moves before walking off the stage. SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels told The Associated Press the incident wasn't a big deal. "She was mortified and in her dressing room, but (producer) Marci (Klein) got her to come out for goodnights and explained that it wasn't the end of the world. It wasn't her fault," he said. "If she were a more seasoned performer then I think that she would've taken charge and said, 'No, let's start this over again.'"
SNL creator Lorne Michaels honored
Lip-synching debacles aside, Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels was awarded the 2004 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Reuters reports. Guests included Not Ready for Prime Time stars Steve Martin, Tim Meadows, Darrell Hammond, Chevy Chase, Molly Shannon, Dan Aykroyd and Tina Fey. Also present were singer Paul Simon, actress Candice Bergen, talk show host Conan O'Brien and U.S. Sens. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.). Guests praised and occasionally embarrassed the 59-year-old Canadian-born Michaels, who described SNL as "always being stuck in adolescence." The ceremony will air on PBS early next year.
Feverish Lohan hospitalized
Lindsay Lohan has been hospitalized in Los Angeles for treatment of a high fever, a spokeswoman for the teen actress told Reuters Monday. "She's undergoing some tests," her publicist Leslie Sloane Zelnik said, adding the actress may be suffering from the flu. "She's doing well and resting." The Mean Girls star was admitted to the hospital over the weekend after being ill for several days and running a temperature as high as 103 degrees, Zelnik said. The illness has forced Lohan, 18, to miss several days of filming on her upcoming movie, Herbie: Fully Loaded, and a guest spot opposite real-life boyfriend Wilmer Valderrama on the Fox sitcom That '70s Show.
Usher, Linkin Park dominate Radio Music Awards
Usher and Linkin Park dominated the Radio Music Awards Monday night at the Aladdin hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Usher took home Hip-Hop Artist of the Year and Hip-Hop Song of the Year for "Yeah!" while Linkin Park won the Rock Artist of the Year and Alternative Rock Song of the Year for "Numb." The Legend Award was given to Janet Jackson. Performers included Elton John, Chingy, Tim McGraw, Big &amp; Rich, Gretchen Wilson, Train and Alanis Morissette. The two-hour event was telecast on NBC. Nominees in each category are based on radio's top-playing songs and are voted on by radio program and music directors nationwide.
Dave Matthews Band donates money
The Dave Matthews Band has donated $50,000 to the Friends of the Chicago River and the Chicago Park District amid an investigation into the dumping of human waste from the group's tour bus into the Chicago River that also doused a tour boat, Rolling Stone.com reports. In August, the city filed suit against the band and its driver, charging them with violating water pollution and public nuisance laws. But the band maintains the driver, whom the group has since suspended, was the only person on the bus. "What happened to the people on the boat is awful and it goes against so many principles we hold dear: environmentalism, accountability, and, mostly, principles of humanity," the band said in a statement. "We will continue to fight for these principles, and seek to live up to the values they represent…we simply want to begin the healing process."
Ovitz set to take stand
Former Mouse House prexy Michael Ovitz will take the stand today in a Georgetown, Del. Court, facing charges by angry Walt Disney Co. shareholders that he cheated them when he left the company with a $140 million severance package, Reuters reports. The suit, filed by Disney shareholders seven years ago against the company's board of directors, claims Disney chief Michael Eisner engineered the deal in 1995 to hire his friend Ovitz, one of Hollywood's most powerful talent agents and co-founder of Creative Artists Agency, as president. But when things didn't work out, Disney's board awarded Ovitz a $140 million severance package rather than firing him--a major faux pas in the eyes of the shareholders. Ovitz is expected to argue that he was entitled to the hefty pay package.
Hamptons honors Most High
The 12th annual Hamptons Film Festival gave its highest honor, the Golden Starfish award, to Marty Sader's drama Most High, about a young man's descent into crystal meth addiction, Variety reports. The audience favorite award went to Vincent Rubino's romantic comedy The Breakup Artist and Leslie Sullivan's A Touch of Greatness was awarded best documentary.
Kit Bowen contributed to this report.

Actress Tracey Gold booked for DUI after car accident
Actress Tracey Gold Marshall, best known for playing Carol Seaver on the hit sitcom Growing Pains, was booked for investigation of felony drunken earlier this month after her sport utility vehicle flipped on a highway in Los Angeles, injuring her husband and two of their three children, The Associated Press reports. Gold Marshall wasn't hurt, but her husband, Roby Marshall, 39, suffered neck injuries, the officer said. The couple's 7-year-old son suffered a broken collarbone and a 5-year-old son was cut, but their 4-month-old son wasn't hurt, California Highway Patrol officer Steve Reid told AP. The actress, 35, spent five hours in jail and was released on $50,000 bail the following day. A court date wasn't immediately available, the highway patrol said.
Baywatch actor charged with DUI
Former Baywatch actor Michael Bergin, who wrote a book about the affair he had with late Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, John F. Kennedy Jr.'s wife, less than a year after she was married, was charged Tuesday with a felony for driving under the influence, AP reports. Bergin was charged in connection with a July 16 incident in Los Angeles in which a professional inline skater, Jennifer Armstrong, was allegedly struck by Bergin's sport utility vehicle and seriously injured. The actor/model was charged with one felony count of DUI causing injury and one misdemeanor count of driving with a blood alcohol level of more than the legal limit of .08 percent. Both counts alleged great bodily injury to the victim, AP reports.
DreamWorks defends Shark Tale
DreamWorks SKG on Tuesday found themselves on the defensive after their upcoming animated film Shark Tale was criticized for ethnic slurs against Italian-Americans, Reuters reports, who say the movie's gangster-like shark characters foster ethnic stereotypes. The New York-based Columbus Citizens Foundation joined an outcry from Italian-American groups condemning the film. "The movie introduces young minds to the idea that people with Italian names--like millions of Americans across the country--are gangsters," Columbus Citizens president Lawrence Auriana said in a statement. Studio spokesman Andy Spahn, however, said the emphasis of the film's humor was on pop culture and Hollywood parodies, similar to DreamWorks' hit storybook satires Shrek and Shrek 2. "It's a family comedy that pokes fun at a number of film genres," Spahn told Reuters. "It doesn't demean anyone, there are no negative stereotypes. There is nothing mean-spirited in the film."
Speaking of Italian-Americans…
Martin Scorsese is being sued for breach of contract by a production company, Hollywood Gang Prods., who claim the director reneged on a promise to undergo a medical checkup as required to obtain insurance coverage during work on an upcoming film, Reuters reports. The lawsuit said Scorsese had agreed in February to "submit to such physical examination" before working on the period drama Silence but had ignored repeated requests to fulfill that commitment. "All we want to do is stick a thermometer in him," Richard Golub, the lawyer for Hollywood Gang, told Reuters on Tuesday.
ABC airs Trump segment alongside The Apprentice
ABC News' newsmagazine show Primetime Live launches its new season with a segment on Donald Trump Thursday at 10 p.m.--smack dab in the middle of the real estate mogul's hit NBC reality show The Apprentice, which will air its supersized episode from 9:20-11 p.m. "I'm a ratings machine," Trump told Reuters Tuesday. "So they figured, hey, we'll do a story on Trump. I do get big ratings, as you know." But Trump is worried the Primetime Live segment could be biased because reporter Chris Cuomo might have an ax to grind. Trump has often criticized Cuomo's father, former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo. "I've openly said to anyone who wants to listen that he's the worst governor in the history of New York," Trump said. ABC, meanwhile, said the segment is fair.
Chubby B-listers take Body Challenge
Former Brady Bunch stars Christopher Knight and Susan Olsen, who portrayed Peter and Cindy Brady respectively, will join Erik Estrada (ChiPS' Ponch) and Charlene Tilton (Dallas' Lucy) in Discovery Health Channel's Body Challenge: Hollywood, a 12-week health and fitness competition. The participants were given personal trainers and nutritionists to help in their transformation. Reuters reports the 47-year-old Knight lost 50 percent of his fat mass during the competition, and is now considering working in the entertainment industry again. The four-episode Body Challenge: Hollywood, which was filmed last December, premieres Sept. 14.
NYC renames street for Law &amp; Order
New York City yesterday renamed a short road that heads to Pier 62 on Manhattan's West Side "Law &amp; Order Way," in honor of the NBC show's 15th anniversary, AP reports. The location is where the show's offices are located and many of its episodes shot. "New York City is as much a part of every Law &amp; Order ensemble as the actors," series creator Dick Wolf said. Veteran actor Dennis Farina, a former police officer, is joining the show's cast this season as actor Jesse L. Martin's detective partner, replacing Jerry Orbach. Orbach is heading to the drama's new spinoff Law &amp; Order: Trial By Jury, which is scheduled to begin shooting next month for a possible January premiere.
Snoop Dogg hosts VGAs
Hip-hop star Snoop Dogg will host Spike TV's second annual Video Game Awards on Dec. 14. Snoop has appeared as himself in several video games, including True Crime: Streets of L.A. and NBA Live 2003, and will appear in the Def Jam: Fight for NY, which hits stores Sept. 20. The rapper and other celebs will pass out awards that include the categories Best Games Based on Movie, Best Music, Best Performance by a Human, Most Anticipated and Most Addictive.

Top Story: James Brown Arrested for Spousal Abuse and Released
Legendary soul singer James Brown, best know for his hit I Feel Good back in the 60's, has once again run afoul of the law after being arrested Wednesday on charges of pushing his wife, 33-year-old Tomi Rae Brown, to the floor where she fell on luggage, Reuters reports. A police report said the incident happened at the couple's home in Beech Island, So. Carolina, and that Mrs. Brown had scratches and bruises on one arm and on her hip and was taken to a hospital for treatment. The 70-year-old singer appeared Thursday in an Aiken County, So. Carolina, court for a bond hearing and was released on personal recognizance, Aiken County Sheriff's Office spokesman Michael Frank confirmed. Brown, honored last month at the Kennedy Center, has had his troubles with the law in the past, serving three years for a chase with police that led them from South Carolina to Georgia. In 1998 Brown was given a two-year suspended sentence for weapons charges. If convicted on this domestic abuse charge, Brown faces a $500 fine and 30 days in jail.
Judge Orders Kelly To Avoid Jackson
A judge has ordered singer and accused child molester R Kelly to avoid Michael Jackson at this year's Grammy Awards, Associated Press reports. Kelly, who is accused of taping himself having sex with an underage girl, has produced two songs for Jackson, You Are Not Alone in 1995 and One More Chance last fall. He is nominated for two Grammys and will most likely attend the awards ceremony February 8; however, Jackson is not expected to attend as he is not nominated for an award. Kelly was arrested in June 2002 and has been free on bond awaiting trial. Prosecutors and Kelly's lawyers said they never raised the issue of a meeting between Jackson and Kelly during a hearing this week about Kelly's travel and said Cook County Circuit Judge Vincent Gaughan made the edict on his own. "What's the difference if someone makes an order not to see someone he didn't want to see in the first place?" Kelly's lawyer Edward Genson asked.
No Visit for Jackson Accuser's Dad, Judge Rules
In more Jacko news, the father of the boy at the center of the Michael Jackson child molestation case has been denied his request to see the boy, AP reports, although a hearing to hear any additional evidence showing why the father should be allowed to have contact with the boy has been scheduled for Feb. 24 . The boy's father, who was not named to protect the identity of the child, is barred from contact with his children after convictions for child cruelty and spousal abuse in 2002 and 2001, respectively. He requested to see the boy because of reports he is in ill health and requires a kidney transplant. The boy reportedly lost one kidney due to cancer surgery. Lawyers for the boy's mother declined to comment on the father's request.
Garfunkel Fights Marijuana Possession Charge
Singer Art Garfunkel, one half of the '60s duo Simon and Garfunkel, appears to be fighting a charge of marijuana possession rather than pay a $100 fine, AP reports. Michael Federoff, Garfunkel's attorney, appeared in court in Hurley in upstate New York on Wednesday. The judge in the case then set a Feb. 11 date for a hearing regarding the case. No further details were released. Garfunkel was cited for possession after his limo driver was pulled over for speeding in Hurley. The police officer smelled marijuana and searched Garfunkel, discovering six grams of the drug in his jacket pocket. Unless the offender has been convicted of a crime in the last three years, a $100 fine is all that is required to resolve the marijuana possession charge. Authorities won't say whether he has a prior record.
Stolen He Was--Yoda Statue Goes Missing
A statue of Yoda, the three-foot-tall Jedi master of the Star Wars films, has been stolen from the back of a truck in Pasadena, Calif., AP reports. The 170-pound statue was commissioned by Lucasfilm Ltd. as part of a series of works based on Star Wars characters. The artist, Lawrence Noble, was transporting the bronze statue from Artworks Foundry in Berkeley to Los Angeles where it was to be sold. The statue, valued at $20,000, was stolen from the truck sometime in the night. Noble is offering a $1,000 reward for its return.
Idol Reigns Supreme for Fox
American Idol pushed Fox to the top of the ratings heap with a stunning 29.6 million viewers watching Tuesday's episode--more than NBC, ABC, CBS, and UPN combined, Reuters reports. The talent show hit has consistently drawn high ratings for Fox during the past three seasons. More importantly, American Idol swept away the competition for the prized 18-49 demographic, gaining the highest ratings for a non-sports show this season. Due to the success of the first three episodes of Idol, Fox took the top spot in the Nielson ratings for the week.
Denis Leary To Star in FX Drama Series
Comedian Denis Leary has signed on for 13 episodes of a new FX series, Rescue Me, AP reports. The show will center on Leary's character, a New York City firefighter, and how he deals with anxiety over his profession in post-Sept. 11 New York. Says Leary about his decision to star in the show, "I am excited to portray a firefighter. I have many close friends and family members that are firefighters and many of the stories and characters will be drawn from them." The 46-year-old actor founded The Leary Firefighters in honor of his cousin who was killed in a Worchester warehouse fire in 1999 along with five other men.
Office Work in Carell's Future?
Sources at NBC revealed The Daily Show's Steve Carrell may be just the man to fill star Ricky Gervais' shoes in the American version of the Golden Globe-winning BBC comedy series The Office, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Though there is no official word whether or not Carrell will take on the role that won Gervais two Golden Globes this past Sunday (one for best comedy, the other for best actor in a television comedy), he

The Writers Guild of America, west and East announced nominations for outstanding achievement in writing for the screen, television and radio during the 2003 season.
Nominees in the original category went to independent art-house films, including Gurinder Chadha, Paul Mayeda Berges and Guljit Bindra for Fox Searchlight's Bend It Like Beckham; Steven Knight for Miramax's Dirty Pretty Things; and Tom McCarthy for Miramax's The Station Agent.
Nominees for the adapted category went mostly high-profile releases, including Anthony Minghella for Miramax's Cold Mountain; Frances Walsh &amp; Philippa Boyens &amp; Peter Jackson for New Line's The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King; and Gary Ross for Universal's Seabiscuit.
WGA noms are closely tracked as an indicator of Academy Awards sentiment. Guild winners in the original screenplay category have matched Oscar choices in 11 years over the past 21 while the WGA adapted screenplay award has matched with the Oscar winner in 14 years during the same period.
The films eligible for Writers Guild Awards were released in the year 2003 under the jurisdiction of Writers Guild of America, East and west and affiliate guilds in Australia, Canada, French Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, and New Zealand.
In television, the nominated scripts were originally broadcast between December 1, 2002, and November 30, 2003.
The winners will be announced Saturday, February 21, 2004, at the 56th Annual Writers Guild Awards ceremonies on both coasts.
The Writers Guild of America, west ceremonies will be held in Los Angeles at the Century Plaza Hotel, and the Writers Guild of America, East ceremonies will be held in New York at The Pierre Hotel.
SCREEN NOMINEES
Original Screenplay
BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM, Written by Gurinder Chadha and Paul Mayeda Berges and Guljit Bindra, Fox Searchlight Pictures
DIRTY PRETTY THINGS, Written by Steven Knight, Miramax Films
IN AMERICA, Written by Jim Sheridan &amp; Naomi Sheridan &amp; Kirsten Sheridan, Fox Searchlight Pictures
LOST IN TRANSLATION, Written by Sofia Coppola, Focus Features
THE STATION AGENT, Written by Tom McCarthy, Miramax Films
Adapted Screenplay
AMERICAN SPLENDOR, Written by Robert Pulcini &amp; Shari Springer Berman, Based on the Comic Book Series by Harvey Pekar and the Novel by Harvey Pekar and Joyce Brabner, HBO Films/Fine Line Features
COLD MOUNTAIN, Screenplay by Anthony Minghella, Based on the Novel by Charles Frazier, Miramax Films
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING, Screenplay by Fran Walsh &amp; Philippa Boyens &amp; Peter Jackson, Based on the Novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, New Line Cinema
MYSTIC RIVER, Screenplay by Brian Helgeland, Based on the Novel by Dennis Lehane, Warner Bros. Pictures
SEABISCUIT, Screenplay by Gary Ross, Based on the Book by Laura Hillenbrand, Universal Pictures
TELEVISION NOMINEES
Episodic Drama --any length--one airing time
"ABOMINATION (Law &amp; Order: SVU), Written by Michele Fazekas &amp; Tara Butters; NBC
"BOUNTY (Law &amp; Order), Written by Michael S. Chernuchin; NBC
"DISASTER RELIEF (The West Wing), Teleplay by Alexa Junge, Story by Alexa Junge &amp; Lauren Schmidt; NBC
"LOSS (Law &amp; Order: SVU), Written by Michele Fazekas &amp; Tara Butters; NBC
"PILOT (The O.C.), Written by Josh Schwartz; Fox
"7:00 P.M. -- 8:00 P.M. (24), Written by Evan Katz; Fox
Episodic Comedy--any length--one airing time
"DAY CARE" (Malcolm in the Middle), Written by Gary Murphy &amp; Neil Thompson; Fox
"MALCOLM FILMS REESE" (Malcolm in the Middle), Written by Dan Kopelman; Fox
"NO SEX, PLEASE, WE'RE SKITTISH" (Frasier), Written by Bob Daily; NBC
"A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO SHOES" (Sex and the City), Written by Jenny Bicks; HBO
Original Long Form--over one hour--one or two parts, one or two airing times
AND STARRING PANCHO VILLA AS HIMSELF, Written by Larry Gelbart; HBO
Episode 1, "BEYOND THE SKY" and Episode 2, "JACOB AND JESSE" (Taken), Written by Leslie Bohem; USA
CAESAR, Written by Peter Pruce and Craig Warner; TNT
WILDER DAYS, Written by Jeff Stockwell; TNT
Adapted Long Form--over one hour--one or two parts, one or two airing times
NORMAL, Teleplay by Jane Anderson, Based on the play Looking for Normal by Jane Anderson; HBO
OUT OF THE ASHES, Teleplay by Anne Meredith, Based on the book I Was a Doctor in Auschwitz by Dr. Gisella Perl; Showtime
RUDY: THE RUDY GIULIANI STORY, Written by Stanley Weiser, Based on the book Rudy! by Wayne Barrett; USA
THE STRANGER BESIDE ME, Teleplay by Matthew McDuffie and Matthew Tabak, Based on the book by Ann Rule; USA
Animation--any length--one airing time
"THE DAD WHO KNEW TOO LITTLE" (The Simpsons), Written by Matt Selman; Fox
"MOE BABY BLUES" (The Simpsons), Written by J. Stewart Burns; Fox
MY MOTHER THE CARJACKER" (The Simpsons), Written by Michael Price; Fox
"REBORN TO BE WILD" (King of the Hill), Written by Tony Gama-Lobo &amp; Rebecca May; Fox
"RESCUE JET FUSION" (The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius), Written by Steven Banks; Nickelodeon
"THE STING" (Futurama), Written by Patric M. Verrone; Fox
Comedy/Variety--Music, Awards, Tributes -- Specials -- any length
THE KENNEDY CENTER HONORS, Written by George Stevens, Jr., Sara Lukinson and David Leaf; CBS
THE 75TH ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS, Written by Hal Kanter, Rita Cash, Buz Kohan, Special Material Written by Steve Martin, Beth Armogida, Dave Barry, Dave Boone, Andy Breckman, Jon Macks, Rita Rudner, Bruce Vilanch; ABC
Comedy/Variety--(including talk) Series
LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN, Written by Mike Sweeney, Chris Albers, Jose Arroyo, Andy Blitz, Kevin Dorff, Jonathan Glaser, Michael Gordon, Brian Kiley, Michael Koman, Brian McCann, Guy Nicolucci, Conan O'Brien, Andrew Secunda, Allison Silverman, Robert Smigel, Brian Stack, Andrew Weinberg; NBC
MAD TV, Writing supervised by Scott King, Written by Dick Blasucci, Lauren Dombrowski, Bryan Adams, Bruce McCoy, Michael Hitchcock, Steven Cragg, Chris Cluess, John Crane, Jennifer Joyce, Tami Sagher, David Salzman, Richard Talarico, Jim Wise, Kal Clarke, Sultan Pepper, Bill Kelley, Maiya Williams, Dino Stamatopoulos, Rick Najera, Brooks McBeth, Jason Kordelos, Michael McDonald, Stephnie Weir; FOX
PENN &amp; TELLER: BULLSHIT!, Written by Penn Jillette, Teller, David Wechter, John McLaughlin; Showtime
REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER, Written by Billy Martin, Scott Carter, David Feldman, Brian Jacobsmeyer, Jay Jaroch, Chris Kelly, Bill Maher, Ned Rice, Paul F. Tompkins; HBO
Daytime Serials
ALL MY CHILDREN, Written by Agnes Nixon, Megan McTavish, Gordon Rayfield, Anna Theresa Cascio, Frederick Johnson, Jeff Beldner, Janet Iacobuzio, Lisa Connor, Addie Walsh, Victor Miller, Mimi Leahey, Bettina F. Bradbury, John PiRoman, Karen Lewis, Amanda Robb, Rebecca Taylor, Christina Covino, David A. Levinson; ABC
ONE LIFE TO LIVE, Written by Josh Griffith, Michael Malone, Shelly Altman, Lorraine Broderick, Richard Backus, Ron Carlivati, Anna Theresa Cascio, David Colson, Leslie Nipkow, Michelle Poteet Lisanti, Becky Cole, James Fryman, Katherine Schock, Ginger Redmon, Daniel Griffin; ABC
Children's Script
"DON'T LOOK BACK" (Out There), Written by Willie Reale and Mark Palmer; PBS
FULL COURT MIRACLE, Written by Joel Silverman and Joel Kauffmann &amp; Donald C. Yost; Disney Channel
I WAS A TEENAGE FAUST, Written by Thom Eberhardt; Showtime
THE MALDONADO MIRACLE, Teleplay by Paul W. Cooper, Based upon the novel "The Maldonado Miracle" by Theodore Taylor; Showtime
Documentary - Current Events
"TRUTH, WAR AND CONSEQUENCES" (Frontline), Written by Martin Smith; PBS
"THE WAR BEHIND CLOSED DOORS" (Frontline), Written by Michael J. Kirk; PBS
Documentary - Other Than Current Events
BECOMING AMERICAN: THE CHINESE EXPERIENCE--BETWEEN TWO WORLDS (PART 2), Written by Thomas Lennon &amp; Mi Ling Tsui and Bill Moyers; PBS
"CYBER WAR!" (Frontline), Written by Michael J. Kirk; PBS
"THE ELEGANT UNIVERSE: THE STRING'S THE THING" (Nova), Written by Joseph McMaster; PBS
"THE ELEGANT UNIVERSE: WELCOME TO THE 11TH DIMENSION" (Nova), Written by Julia Cort &amp; Joseph McMaster, PBS
"THE MURDER OF EMMETT TILL" (The American Experience), Written by Marcia Smith, PBS
"SEABISCUIT" (The American Experience), Written by Michelle Ferrari; PBS
News - Regularly Scheduled, Bulletin or Breaking Report
"PASSING OF MUSIC LEGENDS" (CBS News Sunday Morning), Written by Robert Mank;
"CBS SHOWDOWN WITH SADDAM" (CBS News), Written by John Craig Wilson; CBS
News - Analysis, Feature, or Commentary
"BAPTISM BY FIRE" (60 Minutes), Written by Barbara Dury &amp; Morley Safer; CBS
"WALL STREET" (NOW with Bill Moyers), Written by Michael Winship &amp; Bill Moyers; PBS
RADIO NOMINEES
Documentary
AUTISM: SHADES OF GRAY, Written by Julia Kathan; ABC News Radio
News--Regularly Scheduled
AFTERNOON DRIVE, Written by Bill Spadaro; 1010 WINS Radio
WORLD NEWS THIS WEEK, Written by Stuart H. Chamberlain, Jr.; ABC News Radio
News--Analysis, Feature or Commentary
REMEMBERING ED BLISS, Written by Mike Silverstein; ABC News Radio
THE ROAD TO LAUGHTER: A TRIBUTE TO BOB HOPE, Written by Steven Gosset; CBS Radio Network
On-Air Promotion (Radio or Television)
BUFFY/ENTERPRISE, Written by Eric Jacobson; CBS/UPN

Top Story: Britney Spears Bitter About Men
Pop princess Britney Spears says she became bitter with men after her very public breakup with ex Justin Timberlake. In an interview with Newsweek magazine in its Nov. 3 issue, Spears says she swore off dating for a while after the experience. "There was a time when I was like, 'OK, I'm over men. They're mean,'" she says. "For like six months, not a single thing happened. Not like they weren't drawn to me, but there wasn't a single real attraction. I'm like, 'What's happening? I know I'm not a lesbian.'" Spears says she is still not involved with anyone and denies reports that she hooked up with 21-year-old Columbus Short, a married backup dancer. Spears also talks about her suggestive layouts for Rolling Stone, British Elle and Esquire magazines. "I did feel kind of weird after those photos," Spears says. "I was in a moment. I had, like, eight Red Bulls and said, 'OK, let's do it.' I learned my lesson and you won't see me like that for a while. I'm kinda over it myself. Not that it's dirty or tacky, but it is really revealing and I wouldn't want my kid, at 21, to be dressing like that."
Price Is Right Announcer Dies
Veteran television announcer Rod Roddy died Monday at Century City Hospital of colon and breast cancer at age 66, The Associated Press reports. For 17 years, Roddy's voice was familiar to fans of the television game show The Price Is Right for the legendary phrase: "Come on down!" Host Bob Barker said Monday that Roddy, who taped his last show two months ago, stayed with the CBS show as long as his health permitted. "The courage he showed during those difficult times was an inspiration to us all," Barker said. "He was quite a character. He was important to the success of the show." A private funeral service will be held in Texas, with a memorial service planned sometime later in Los Angeles.
California Fires Destroy Part of Aviator Set
The Southern California wildfires, which have destroyed at least 1,134 homes, killed 15 people, forced thousands to evacuate and disrupted auto and air traffic, also partially destroyed a set for Warner Bros.' Howard Hughes biopic The Aviator in the Simi Valley area over the weekend. According to Variety, the blaze at Big Sky Ranch forced the production to switch to interior shooting in Long Beach, Calif. Mike Dilorenzo of Santa Clarita Studios said his facility is operating at full capacity with CSI and Carnivale shooting, but added that the studio was on full alert with fires hoses hooked up and ready to go.
David Bowie and Iman To Appear in Hilfiger Ads
Rock icon David Bowie and his wife, supermodel Iman, will appear in their first ad campaign together. According to Billboard.com, the couple will be the new faces for designer Tommy Hilfiger's new H Hilfiger line, to be launched in spring 2004. The collection, described as "sophisticated, sexy and refined," will be part of Hilfiger's high-end line. The ad campaign, shot this month in Amsterdam by renowned photographer Ellen Von Unwerth, will debut in American magazines in April 2004.
Rosie O'Donnell, G+J Court Date Delayed
The court battle between Rosie O'Donnell and her ex-publishing partner, Gruner + Jahr USA Publishing, was put on temporary hold on yesterday as a scheduling conflict caused the judge to delay Tuesday's start date. G+J charges that everything unraveled at the now defunct Rosie magazine when O'Donnell shut down her daytime TV show in 2002 and went from being known as "fun-loving" to becoming a self-proclaimed "uber-bitch." O'Donnell, however, claims the publisher seized control of the magazine, fired editors who were loyal to her and tried to smear her reputation. Manhattan Supreme Court officials told Reuters the breach-of-contract case over the messy demise of the entertainer's namesake magazine will likely open later this week.
Fox Pulls Plug on Luis
After only four airings, Fox has decided to pull the plug on its freshman series Luis. The show starred feature character actor Luis Guzman as a doughnut shop owner in Spanish Harlem, but it opened to poor reviews and ratings, averaging 3.6 million viewers in its four airings. According to The Hollywood Reporter, production on the series, which aired Friday at 8:30 p.m., was shut down Monday. Ten episodes of the comedy were produced overall. For the next two Fridays, Fox will air original episodes of Wanda at Large at 8 and 8:30 p.m. The network had previously scheduled movies to run on the last two Fridays of the November sweep.
ABC News: Oswald Acted Alone
ABC said Monday that an in-depth investigation of the Kennedy assassination conducted by ABC News indisputably confirms that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. The network said ABC News worked with an expert who created a computer-generated reconstruction of the shooting based on maps, blueprints, physical measurements, more than 500 photographs, films and autopsy reports. Through interviews and other documentation, ABC News also concludes that Jack Ruby, who later killed Oswald, acted simply out of his love for Kennedy, the AP reports. The two-hour special on the event is scheduled to air Nov. 20, two days before the 40th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's assassination.
Tim Robbins To Host Cash Tribute
Actor Tim Robbins will host the Nov. 10 musical tribute to country legend Johnny Cash, who died Sept. 12 at age 71 of complications from diabetes. According to the AP, The Bull Durham star did an audio interview with Cash for promotion of the singer's 2000 album, American III: Solitary Man. Cash also wrote and performed "In Your Mind" for the soundtrack to Dead Man Walking, a 1995 film Robbins directed. Tickets for the tribute concert, which will take place at the Ryman Auditorium, were free and distributed by lottery. John Mellencamp, Dwight Yoakam, George Jones, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Sheryl Crow, Hank Williams Jr., Jack Clement, Steve Earle, Larry Gatlin and Cash's daughter, Rosanne, are scheduled to perform.

Top Story: Sandler Ties Knot
As Adam Sandler's Web site states, "Sandler got married: Woopity Doo!" The Associated Press reports the comedian wed his girlfriend, actress Jackie Titone, on Sunday in an outdoor ceremony in Malibu, Calif. Photographs of the nuptials showed Sandler in a black tuxedo and white yarmulke, and Titone in a white gown with spaghetti straps, standing among hanging pale rose bouquets and chairs draped with pink satin, AP reports. Even Sandler's dog, Meatball, got in the action, dressed up in a black tuxedo jacket. It is the first marriage for Sandler 36, and Titone, 28.
Lil' Kim's Jewelry Swiped at JFK Airport
Lil' Kim claimed she was robbed of $250,000 worth of jewelry when one of her bags was tampered with at the John F. Kennedy Int'l Airport Friday. AP reports the hip-hop artist's Louis Vuitton bag, which carried as much as $500,000 in jewelry, was mistakenly mixed with her regular luggage before boarding a morning flight to Los Angeles. When the bag was retrieved, it was found to have some jewelry missing, including her signature "Queen Bee" necklace. A spokesman for the Port Authority said Lil' Kim "filed a report for lost jewelry, and the incident is under investigation by the Port Authority police."
Harry Potter Book Flies Off Shelves
And the phenomenon continues. The release of the fifth Harry Potter installment Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Saturday set publishing records all over the world, including in the U.S., where on the first day alone an estimated five million copies were sold, AP reports. "We expected to sell 1 million copies in the first week and we sold that many within the first 48 hours," Barnes &amp; Noble CEO Steve Riggio told AP Sunday. Amazon.com shipped out more than a million copies of the new book, making Saturday the largest distribution day of a single item in e-commerce history, AP reports.
2003 Idols Gear Up for Tour
Ticket sales for the upcoming American Idol tour--which features the second season singers, including winner Ruben Studdard and runner-up Clay Aiken--are already surpassing the sales from the first Idol tour, Billboard magazine reports. Expanding to 41 dates from 30 in 2002, the tour starts July 8 at the Excel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., and wraps Aug. 31 at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, Calif. Tickets range from $25-$45 apiece, the same as last year, Billboard reports.
Nelly Sets Up Bone Marrow Search for Sister
Nelly has formed a bone marrow campaign in search of a donor for his sister, Jackie Donahue, who was diagnosed with leukemia in 2001. AP reports the Grammy-winning rapper was on hand for a drive in St. Louis, Missouri over the weekend. "It's not just a one-day event and you'll never hear from us again," Nelly told AP. "It could be a match for somebody else's brother or somebody else's sister."
Playwright George Axelrod Dies
Writer George Axelrod, best known for writing The Seven Year Itch, Breakfast at Tiffany's and The Manchurian Candidate, died Saturday of heart failure in Los Angeles. He was 81.
Cedric Show Yanked for Now
Fox Television has stopped production on the variety and sketch comedy show Cedric, starring Cedric the Entertainer but plan on running the remaining unseen episodes in the fall, Reuters reports. Despite Cedric's mediocre ratings, Reuters reports Fox originally wanted the show to return for a second season in the fall in hopes to keep the comedian in its fold until the network could develop a more suitable scripted comedy for him.
TV Movie About Fugitive Rapist Changes Ending
Producers of the Lifetime television movie A Date With Darkness: The Trial of Andrew Luster, about real-life fugitive rapist Andrew Luster, are having to rewrite the ending six days before wrapping due to Luster's capture Wednesday in Mexico. Reuters reports Luster, who was confined to house arrest during his trial on charges of drugging and raping three women, escaped five months ago but was apprehended by an American bounty hunter in the Mexican resort of Puerto Vallarta. The heir to the Max Factor cosmetics fortune had been sentenced to 120 years in prison.
Role Call: Portrait of Dali To Hit Screens
Director Simon West (Lara Croft: Tomb Raider) has signed on to helm Dali, a biopic on famed artist Salvador Dali. Variety reports the film will focus on the artist who captivated the American art scene with sex, sin and surrealism only to fall eventually into scandal and misfortune.

Look at those X-Men go!
X2: X-Men United came barreling out on top for the second week in a row, taking in a hefty $41.4 million*, nearly double the $27.6 million opener Daddy Day Care took in at No. 2.
After the top two, however, the box office dropped off considerably. In third place, The Lizzie McGuire Movie only raked in $7.8 million, while fourth place holder Identity managed a measly $6.3 million. Rounding out the top five, Anger Management collected $5.5 million.
Still, the true Cinderella story of the Top 10 this week was the quirky A Mighty Wind. After the film's run was expanded to more than 600 theaters, it made the list for the first time since its release, coming in at No. 7 with $2.8 million.
Interestingly, the romantic comedy Down With Love, which opens wide against The Matrix Reloaded next week, popped up in one theater in New York and gathered an impressive $44,098, while the Neil Labute dark comedy The Shape of Things debuted in 40 theaters with $177,506.
THE TOP TEN
At the top of the heap, 20th Century Fox's PG-13 X2 swept up with an ESTIMATED $41.4 million at 3,748 theaters ($11,046 per theater). Although it dipped 52 percent from its huge $85 million opening last weekend, the sequel--in which Prof. Xavier and his X-Men must join the metal-controlling villain Magneto to battle against a society that fears and distrusts them--has reached approximately $149 million in two weeks, making it the fifth film this year to cross the $100 million mark.
Directed by Bryan Singer, it stars Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen and more.
Sony Pictures' PG-rated Eddie Murphy laffer Daddy Day Care debuted in second place with an ESTIMATED $27.6 million at 3,370 theaters ($8,190 per theater), making it the third largest opener for Murphy following Nutty Professor II: The Klumps ($42.5 million) and Dr. Dolittle ($29 million).
The film focuses on a father who loses his job and decides to start up a day care center with one of his fellow laid-off colleagues to make ends meet.
Directed by Steve Carr, it also stars Jeff Garlin, Steve Zahn, Regina King and Anjelica Huston.
Buena Vista's PG-rated The Lizzie McGuire Movie slipped a spot to third with an ESTIMATED $7.8 million (-55%) at 2,825 theaters ($2,761 per theater). Based on the hit Disney Channel series, the film is about 13-year-old Lizzie's whirlwind trip to Rome where she is mistaken for a celebrity pop star and gets the royal treatment. Its cume is approximately $27.2 million in two weeks.
Directed by Jim Fall, it stars Hilary Duff, Adam Lamberg and Yani Gellman.
Coming in at No. 4 was Sony's R-rated Identity with an ESTIMATED $6.3 million (-33%). Playing at 2,618 theaters (-115 theaters; $2,406 per theater), this Hitchcockian thriller has collected approximately $39.2 million thus far.
Directed by James Mangold, it stars John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, Rebecca DeMornay and Alfred Molina.
Still holding strong in the Top Five, Sony's PG-13 Anger Management dropped a notch to fifth place with an ESTIMATED $5.5 million (-35%) at 2,819 theaters (-652 theaters; $1,951 per theater). Its cume is approximately $122.9 million.
Directed by Peter Segal, it stars Adam Sandler, Jack Nicholson, Marisa Tomei and John Turturro.
Buena Vista's PG-rated Holes captured the sixth spot with an ESTIMATED $4.6 million (-33%) at 2,452 theaters (+50 theaters; $1,876 per theater). In its fourth week, the film's cume is approximately $51.4 million.
Directed by Andrew Davis, it stars Rick Fox, Sigourney Weaver, Jon Voight, Tim Blake Nelson and Shia LeBeouf.
*Box office estimates provided by Exhibitor Relations, Inc.
Making its way into the box office's Top 10 list for the first time since its release was Warner Bros. PG-13 A Mighty Wind, coming in at No. 7 with an ESTIMATED $2.8 million (+178%). Warners expanded the film's release to 765 theaters (+608 theaters; $3,752 per theater) and now in its fourth week, Wind's cume is approximately $9.3 million.
The film follows three sets of famous '60s folk singing groups who come together for a benefit concert 40 years later.
Directed by and starring Christopher Guest, it also stars Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Bob Balaban, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara and more.
Warner Bros.' PG-13 rated comedy Malibu's Most Wanted dropped from sixth to eighth place in its fourth week with an ESTIMATED $2.1 million (-47%) at 2,008 theaters (-332 theaters, $1,063 per theater). Its cume is approximately $31.7 million.
Directed by John P. Whitesell, it stars Jamie Kennedy, Taye Diggs and Anthony Anderson.
In what could turn out to be another My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Fox Searchlight's PG-13 rated Bend It Like Beckham moved up a spot to No. 9 with an ESTIMATED $1.6 million (+12%) at 563 theaters (+80) with a per theater average of $$2,931. Its cume is approximately $13 million.
The film follows the aspirations of a young Indian girl living in London whose only desire is to play soccer--even if it means going against her traditional family's wishes.
Directed by Gurinder Chadha, it stars Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley and Jonathan Rhys Meyers.
Lions Gate's R-rated Confidence fell three rungs to 10th place with an ESTIMATED $1.5 million (-41%) at 1,188 theaters (-683 theaters; $1,263 per theater). Its cume is approximately $11 million.
Directed by James Foley, it stars Edward J. Burns, Dustin Hoffman, Andy Garcia and Rachel Weisz.
OTHER OPENERS
Fox's PG-13 romantic comedy Down With Love debuted in one New York theater with an impressive $44,098. An homage to those wacky Doris Day/Rock Hudson movies, the film follows a feminist writer who knocks heads with a playboy journalist. The film opens wide next week.
Directed by Peyton Reed, it stars Renee Zellweger, Ewan McGregor and David Hyde Pierce.
Also debuting this week was Focus Features' R-rated The Shape of Things, which gathered an ESTIMATED $177,506 in 40 theaters ($4,438 per theater).
A contemporary love story set in a college town in which sex and art intertwine as the relationships between four college students become increasingly complicated.
Written and directed by Neil Labute, it stars Paul Rudd, Rachel Weisz, Gretchen Mol and Frederick Weller.
WEEKEND COMPARISON
The Top 12 films this weekend grossed an ESTIMATED $103 million, down considerably, nearly 28 percent from last week when they totaled $141.4 million.
The Top 12 were also down 10.6 percent from last year when they totaled $115 million.
Last year, Sony's PG-13 rated Spider-Man stayed at the top of the box office for the second week with $71.4 million at 3,615 theaters ($19,756 per theater); Fox's steamy R-rated Unfaithful came in second with $14 million at 2,613 theaters ($5,383 per theater); and Sony's PG-13 comedy The New Guy came in third with $9 million at 2,687 theaters ($3,352 per theater).